How to work with an Architect – A simple guide for homeowners

What is an architect? And do I need their help?

An Architect or Architectural Practice doesn’t just produce drawings — they plan, design and supervise the delivery of buildings end-to-end. The term “Architect” is legally protected, and appointing an RIBA Chartered Practice gives you assurance that the firm meets professional benchmarks. Chartered Practices frequently combine the talents of Chartered Architects and a Chartered Architectural Technologists, providing both creative design and technically robust detailing under one roof. This brings formal qualifications, professional indemnity and a professional framework you can trust. You’re not required by law to hire an architect or practice, but getting through planning, building regulations and construction without specialist support can be a steep challenge. Read on for a step-by-step breakdown of how a Chartered Practice can help.

The very first step is usually just a conversation. We want to hear what you love, what frustrates you about your home, and what you’d like to change. Typical questions we’ll ask: What are your must-haves? What’s your rough budget? Are there tight timescales? Getting clarity early means you won’t waste time on ideas that aren’t realistic. We’ll tell you straight away if something sounds feasible, and if it’s not, we’ll suggest alternatives that achieve the same goals without nasty surprises. It’s at this point we can talk you through the process and give ball-park costings and timescales for your project.

How to get the most out of your consultation? Do some thinking before we speak, Having a clear brief, and defining your ‘must haves’ and ‘nice to haves’ will streamline the process.

In this step, we’ll help you by writing a short, clear brief — a simple document that lists what you want and why, think of it as a road-map, guiding us both through the following stages. At this point we’ll check the site and it’s surroundings, look up local planning legislation and history, and can assist you in arranging any surveys that may be required.

This is where creative possibilities start to emerge, balanced with practical considerations such as build cost, sustainability, and the character of your existing home. By testing ideas early, we can help you make informed decisions and keep your ambitions aligned with your budget.

Here’s the fun part: we turn the brief into real options. You can expect sketches, simple plans and maybe even 3D views which explore layout, flow and how rooms could relate to one-another. Early designs will help you visualise how your new home could look and feel, producing different layouts allows us to explain the pros and cons so you can pick what feels right.

This is a collaborative stage, where we refine the early designs in response to your feedback. We’ll check the idea still fits the budget and for compliance with planning rules, before compiling the information needed for any planning applications. This ensures your design is both beautiful and buildable — and that you have confidence in what’s being proposed.

Once the design is agreed (and usually after the granting of planning permission) we can produce the detailed drawings, specifications and schedules builders need to bring designs into reality. That includes coordinating with engineers and specialists so structure, plumbing, electrics and finishes all work together and are compliant with Building Regulations.

In practice, this is where we find our value becomes very tangible: you are protected from conflicts (e.g. between plumbing and structure), surprises, and omissions. At the end of this stage you should have a full set of documentation sufficient to enable competitive pricing from builders. As your architect, we can assist you here too, helping you choose the right contractor and compare quotes on a like-for-like basis. By managing this complexity, your interests are protected and the risk of errors or unexpected costs once construction begins reduces.

Once a builder has been selected, it’s time to prepare the building contract and get things moving. During the build, we can act as your representative to manage the build process on site. We’ll administer the contract (between you and the builder), monitor quality, answer any technical queries, and certify payments as construction work progresses. This help ensure that what’s built matches the agreed drawings and meets required standards.

At completion, your architect will carry out inspections, manage snagging, and oversee the final handover so you can move in with confidence. If you’d like, we can also do a short “in use” review after a few months to see if anything needs tweaking.

Working with a registered architect throughout this journey doesn’t just make the process smoother — it helps you get the most out of your investment, ensuring your home is well-designed, compliant, and built to last.